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No Crank No Start unless I jump from solenoid?


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My xt6 has had this issue and for me its an easy fix. Basically I'd have to either just hold the ignition in the start spot, or click it a few times to get it to start. Jumping the start solenoid always worked. Anyhoo the fix is a white connector(at least on the six) under the dash above your feet. Mine had gotten burned lightly annd I was able to clean it out, that was about a year ago... more currently its been giving me a hesitation to crank and I'm sure its the same issue. Basically just look under the dash with some contact cleaner and pull apart the connectors one by one and check them, then plug um back in. I recommend getting a "Power Booster Pen" made by CRAG and just coating all the connectors... it works good. Good luck

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yeah, in the turbo coup, I noticed when I played with the (in this car pink) connector for the ignition switch wich was half melted by the way, it started to work a little more relaibly, then, lately, it's not working again, even after playing with it. Once I get the moter all back together I'm going to work on it some more, this could be in another 2 weeks or so. Brat has been taking up alot of my time lately. Will be chuggin back again on the coup monday hopefully.

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Damn! I waited a week and it hadn't done it. Let my daughter have the car for running around at college and it started again. Arrrgg! She thinks the car just doesn't like her. I went and tried it and it started every time for me. She drove to class and it did it to her again. Guess I'll try putting some sealant on the connectors. Hadn't had time to do that yet.

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Ok, I'm sure there's an "I told you so" or two due here, so feel free. LOL I finally had time to work it and it was getting more frequent again, so......

 

I went out to work it and realized I'd left most of my tools and my multi-meter in my '91 Loyale, which my son had driven back up to the ex's. So, unfortunately, I can't give you much useable data as far as voltage readings, voltage loss across the connector, resistance across the connector, etc.

 

But, I pulled the black fusible link again and made sure the connectors were tight and clean, plugged it back on and applied some terminal sealant. Still had the intermittant start problem.

 

Next I took the steering column back apart and pulled the ignition switch. As previously noted, it had the typical burned/overheated terminal on the male side of the connector to the switch. I pulled the terminals from the connectors, cleaned them and made sure the female side was good and tight. Cleaned off both sides with some alcohol and wire brush. The male side was pretty much free in the connector due to the melted plastic around it. Mixed up some JB Weld, reinserted the male terminal into the connector and pushed the JB Weld in behind it. Let it cure until hard, then put everything back together. So far, so good, has worked every time since.

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You know, I'm really surprised this problem didn't pop up years ago, considering how many people here have experienced it. I'm trying to sell the Loyale and it does this exact same thing, even forced me to spend $40 on a motel room one night when I tried starting it for 30 mins after stopping to get gas. Went out and bought a starter (that seemed the most obvious) but before I installed it the next day I had a hunch and tried to start the car...immediately on the first try. Bastard.

 

I hope that one of these solutions will work. It seems so off the wall though, since all the wires on the interior look very good...I can't imagine why one random one would decide to corrode or melt...

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Well, the saga continues.....

 

It worked like a champ until I got ready to leave work the day after I repaired the connector and stuff. I hopped in and turned the key and nothing.... no idiot lights, no radio, nuttin'. Just the domelight. I turned the key several times and still nuttin'. I popped the hood and pulled and re-inserted the fusible links, still nuttin'. I got back in and tried the key, you guessed it, nuttin'. I whacked the steering column cover in frustration, right about where the tilt wheel control is, and BINGO, everything lit up and worked great. I've had something similar happen on my '91 and never was able to exactly pinpoint the problem.

 

So, then the next day, I had the original problem happen once. Since then everything has been great.

 

I think this weekend I'll pull the steering column covers off again and see if the connector looks like it's been hot again and do some poking around.

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The reason this happens is because of the high amount of current that the wire connection has to handle. If there is a small amount of resistance at the connection it will heat up and over time it gets worse and finally does this kind of thing. The problem now may be with the switch contacts and will need to replace the switch itself.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, I took the connector on the ignition switch pigtail apart again to clean it up. I noticed that the blade (male) terminal that was opposite the socket that I repaired with the JBweld was pushed out of it's socket and would not stay in. So, probably when I did the repair and tightened up the female side and anchored it with JBweld, then pushed the plug back together it didn't mate and pushed the male side out. So, that was probably why it became intermittent on me this last time. (fingers crossed) I cleaned up the terminals, applied some terminal protector spray and plugged the connector back together, ensuring that all of the male/female terminals were mated. Hasn't skipped a beat since. If it starts again, I'm going with Cougars suggestion and replacing the ignition switch. (I've got a '91 and a '92, so I'll probably just swap and see if the problem moves too. Just for troubleshooting experience.)

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It sounds like you got it solved now. Another thing you can do to fix the connection is to just bypass the connector. Cut off the old contacts and crimp on some some new terminals and a little wire extension if it is needed to make up the distance.

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It's back! But, on the good news/bad news side. Good news...I have a spare ignition switch to throw in it. Bad news.... the "spare" is out of my 91 that my son rolled up in the mountains yesterday! Fortunately, nobody was hurt and we were able to pull it out today. Took all day from about 11 this morning till 8 this evening. Had to jack it up and hack a stump out from underneath it, then cut a path through the brush to the bank up to the road. But, my trusty 85 F-250 pulled it up about a 12 foot bank without even really breathing hard. Probably rolled twice, lots of broken glass and sheetmetal damage. Broke part of the upper radiator neck off, but left enough to reattach the hose. Filled her with water, checked the oil and started her up. Still runs like a champ! Drove it home about 30 miles, squinting through a checkered windshield. I'll salvage everything good and scrap the poor hulk.

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Glad to hear nobody got hurt. Too bad about the car.

 

I would have a test probe handy so when this problem appears again you can check things while the problem is happening. This way you won't have to guess at what is wrong.

 

Edit.

If the dash lights don't turn on when this problem happens now then you need to check the fusible link or the ignition switch. If only the starter is having a problem then I would check the repaired bad connection again. You may have to reterminate the connection and bypass the plugs.

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